uTHUKELA SECTION 132 HEARING DEFERRED FOLLOWING ABSENCE OF POLITICAL LEADERSHIP
The KwaZulu-Natal Legislature’s CoGTA Portfolio Committee was unable to proceed with its scheduled Section 132 hearing with uThukela District Municipality today after appropriate political leadership was not available to account before the Committee.
Minutes before the hearing, the Municipal Manager informed the Committee that the Mayor would not be attending as he was undergoing a medical procedure. The Committee fully respects the Mayor’s medical circumstances.
However, the Speaker was also absent when the meeting was due to begin and arrived approximately an hour later.
The Committee attempted to secure the attendance of the Deputy Mayor so that the hearing could proceed. When he was eventually contacted, he indicated that he was in Durban, had other commitments and was unable either to attend in person or join the hearing virtually.
The Committee waited in an attempt to secure political representation, but ultimately resolved that the hearing should not proceed without the municipality’s political leadership being properly represented.
This was particularly concerning given the seriousness of the matters requiring accountability at uThukela.
The Auditor-General has reported that the municipality’s audit opinion has remained qualified for seven years, with little improvement in internal controls. In 2024/25, uThukela recorded water losses of 65% and an average creditor-payment period of 541 days. CoGTA further reported that, at 30 June 2026, the municipality’s collection rate stood at just 37%, with approximately R842 million in creditors outstanding for more than 30 days.
These are serious financial and service-delivery concerns, particularly for a district municipality responsible for water and sanitation.
The Committee therefore expressed its strong dissatisfaction that, despite this hearing being scheduled in advance, appropriate arrangements were not made to ensure that political leadership was available to account.
While the Mayor’s medical circumstances are understood, the failure to ensure alternative political representation meant that an important Legislature oversight process was frustrated.
The Committee will reconvene the hearing and expects the relevant political leadership to appear and account.
Should there be any further unjustified failure to appear, the Committee will consider using the formal powers available to the Legislature to compel attendance.
Accountability before the Legislature cannot be optional.
ISSUED BY HONOURABLE MARLAINE NAIR, THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE COGTA PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE
